STANDARD CHARTERED PUTTING FNAL TOUCHES ON DAR DIGITAL BRANCH

Standard Chartered bank consumer banking for Africa head Kariuki Ngari, briefs journalists in Dar es Salaam last week. With him is the bank’s Corporate Affairs manager Beda Biswalo. PHOTO | FIDELIS FELI

By Alawi Masare
The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania is putting final touches to establish a digital branch at which customers will interact with automated facilities to enable them to undertake banking services as per their needs.

The modern technology -- christened Standard Chartered Electronic Banking Unit (EBU) will be located at Shamo Towers, Mbezi Tangi Bovu, along Bagamoyo Road.

According to the bank’s corporate affairs manager, Mr Beda Biswalo, the automated branch was now undergoing final stages before it is launched for business.

“We are finalising some technical details and we’ll launch it soon. It’s a new technology and the first of its kind in Tanzania,” said Mr Biswalo.

According to him, the EBU will enable the bank’s customers to access banking services including cash deposits, withdrawals and cheque services, among others, without physically interacting with human tellers.

Mr Biswalo revealed this on Thursday when introducing the bank’s new head of consumer banking for Africa to the media, Mr Kariuki Ngari, appointed early this month.

Mr Ngari, a Kenyan, was the head of consumer banking for East Africa and now he is the first African to lead the 100 year-old international bank in that capacity.

As head of consumer banking, Mr Ngari will lead the Standard Chartered’s consumer banking strategy and its implementation in Africa capturing growth opportunities to strengthen the bank’s market position.

“The challenge ahead is how to take Standard Chartered to the next level by coming up with innovative products for various consumers. Again, we are supposed to ensure that whatever we fund should be relevant to the communities,” he commented.